Leila Heller gallery is one of the larger galleries in the area. With a New York sister gallery boosting its credentials, this gallery is sure to become a favourite with its frequently changing exhibitions.

The Third Line showcases work from Middle Eastern artists and the current exhibition by Sophia Al Maria titled Everything Must Go draws on the region’s love of consumerism and the conflict of growing up between eastern and western cultures.

The surroundings are as Instagrammable and intriguing as the exhibitions inside the galleries. Look in every door way you walk past.

Eat

Shop and Do

Mirzam Chocolate Factory is a small-scale factory producing bean-to-bar chocolate in Dubai. The packaging is beautiful and the chocolate has a Middle Eastern twist – white chocolate with saffron is a must try, as is dark chocolate with fig. There’s a small cafe and staff on hand to explain the chocolate-making process and bars of all sizes to purchase as (self) gifts.

The chilled A4 Space boasts a cafe, a shop, a cinema screening room and a community library. There’s a co-working space upstairs and free wifi – whether you need to catch-up on work, Instagram your surroundings or flick through a book. The atmosphere hits that sweet spot between a coffee shop and a library, so basically my ideal place to spend time in.

Notes:

– check opening times before visiting, galleries are closed on Friday and possibly on public holidays
– you’ll probably need to call an Uber to pick you up unless you can hop in a taxi that has just dropped someone off (or walk the 15 minutes to Noor Bank metro stop as I did)
– leave your sandals for the beach as the area is still a functioning industrial estate